1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-diagnosing apparatus for a refrigerator which self-diagnoses the operation condition of a refrigerator such as a refrigerator with a freezer and provides a user with appropriate advice regarding a method for using the refrigerator, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional refrigerator with a freezer for consumers, for example, when an abnormal situation occurs while the refrigerator is in use, emits an alarm which signals the abnormality, so that a service person who visits a user in response to a request of repair from the user replaces a part or otherwise appropriately repairs the refrigerator.
Among such conventional refrigerators, one which is proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-265259 of 1994, for instance, by means of sensors which are disposed inside and outside the apparatus at various sections, detects temperatures at the respective sections, and displays an alarm message when a detected temperature exceeds a predetermined value, while cumulatively storing the number of times at which such alarm messages are displayed, the frequency of opening and closing a door, and the like. Hence, using the cumulatively stored information, a service person who is in charge of repair work can provide detailed services in accordance with an actual condition in which the apparatus is used.
Furthermore, refrigerators with freezers for consumers, for example, are in various different conditions among individual homes, with respect to the conditions of installation, condition of use, room temperature, location of installation, the frequency of door opening and closing density of articles placed in the refrigerator, etc. Therefore, a cause of abnormality such as a failure of the temperature within a refrigerator to decrease is, in many cases, attributable to a condition of installation, a condition of use, etc. Further, when used under an inappropriate condition of installation, use, etc., over a long period of time, the machine itself may break down.
A conventional refrigerator as described above, although capable of emitting an alarm in response to abnormality, simply displays a condition of the abnormality at that time (e.g., an abnormal temperature within the apparatus), and therefore, a user can not tell the cause, i.e., whether the cause is a breakdown of the machine itself or attributed to a condition of use or the like, until a service person arrives. This, accordingly, can not prevent a breakdown due to a continuous inappropriate condition of installation, use, etc.
The present invention has been made considering the situation above, and accordingly, aims at providing a self-diagnosing apparatus for a refrigerator which self-diagnoses a condition in which the refrigerator operates and provides a user with an appropriate action to be taken in case there is an abnormality with the refrigerator apparatus.
To attain the object described above, the present invention is directed to a self-diagnosing apparatus for a refrigerator which self-diagnoses an operation condition of the refrigerator, comprising: detecting means which detect a plurality of condition-indicative quantities with respect to the refrigerator; diagnosis means which compare the condition-indicative quantities or diagnosis calculation values which are calculated based on the condition-indicative quantities with a predetermined threshold value, judges whether an operation of the refrigerator is normal or abnormal, and selects a predetermined improvement action which is set in advance for a diagnosed abnormal condition; and an outputting means which outputs the improvement action selected by said diagnosis means, wherein when the diagnosis result indicates abnormality, said outputting means outputs the improvement action based on a second diagnosis means provided after a predetermined time.
Further, memory means for storing the condition-indicative quantities which are detected by the detecting means for a predetermined period and the diagnosis means may diagnose based on the condition-indicative quantities covering the predetermined period which are stored in the memory means, which makes it possible to accurately diagnose without influence of a condition-indicative quantity which suddenly appears.
Still further, the outputting means may provide a visual and/or auditory display, which enables to easily inform a user of a diagnosis result.
In the self-diagnosing apparatus for a refrigerator according to the present invention, first, the detecting means detects a plurality of condition-indicative quantities with respect to the refrigerator. The detected condition-indicative quantities are stored in the memory means, for instance, for a predetermined period. The diagnosis means thereafter compares the condition-indicative quantities or the diagnosis calculation values which are calculated based on the condition-indicative quantities with a predetermined threshold value, and judges whether an operation of the refrigerator is normal or abnormal based on a result of the comparison. At this stage, if the condition-indicative quantities covering the predetermined period which are stored in the memory means are used as the condition-indicative quantities which are used for the diagnosis, it is possible to accurately diagnose without influence of a condition-indicative quantity which suddenly appears.
When it is judged that there is abnormality as a result of the diagnosis, a re-diagnosis may be provided after a predetermined time from the time the diagnosis above is obtained. When it is judged that there is abnormality as a result of the re-diagnosis, a predetermined improvement action which is set in advance for that condition is selected, and displayed visually or as a sound by the outputting means. Thus, since a final judgment is made based on two diagnosis results, one from the first diagnosis and the other from a re-diagnosis which is executed after a predetermined time, it is possible to diagnose with excellent reliability.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: